Youth teams qualify for international competition

FFA and 4-H youth qualify for the International Youth Dairy Judging Tour

PUBLISHED ON February 11, 2018

The Missouri 4-H team is comprised of 4-H members from Christian, Lawrence, Polk and Webster counties. Grant Groves, Daryin Sharp, Ellie Wantland and Lora Wright placed second in Holsteins, fourth in Ayrshires, fifth in Guernseys, fifth in Jerseys, seventh in Brown Swiss and third in oral reasons. The Montett FFA team consists of four members: Sam Masri, Lora Wright, Lilly Schmidt and Blake Wright. The National FFA Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Management CDE is a competitive event that tests the student's ability to select and manage quality dairy cattle. (Courtesy of Missouri Department of Agriculture)

JEFFERSON CITY — Missouri 4-H and Missouri FFA are constantly impressing us with their accomplishments and contributions. Recently, both organizations brought home a major recognition — they qualified for the International Youth Dairy Judging Tour.

Winners of the National FFA Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Management Career Development Event (CDE) were announced at the 90th National FFA Convention & Expo in October. The Monett FFA Chapter simultaneously qualified for international competition and broke a chapter record for highest placement in a national CDE. The team finished third overall in a field of 44 teams and placed first nationally in the Dairy Management Team Activity.

The Montett FFA team consists of four members: Sam Masri, Lora Wright, Lilly Schmidt and Blake Wright. The National FFA Dairy Cattle Evaluation and Management CDE is a competitive event that tests the student’s ability to select and manage quality dairy cattle. Event components include six classes of dairy cattle, herd record evaluation and dairy management team activity.

Missouri 4-H had its best finish since 1998 at the 2017 National 4-H Dairy Judging Contest during the World Dairy Expo in Madison, Wis. The team finished third in a field of 22 teams, and placed in the top five for judging four of five breeds and presenting oral reasons, qualifying the team for international competition. This is the best performance by a Missouri team in 19 years, when a group also placed third at the World Dairy Expo.

The team is comprised of 4-H members from Christian, Lawrence, Polk and Webster counties. Grant Groves, Daryin Sharp, Ellie Wantland and Lora Wright placed second in Holsteins, fourth in Ayrshires, fifth in Guernseys, fifth in Jerseys, seventh in Brown Swiss and third in oral reasons.

Both teams are seeking sponsors to help fund participation in the International Youth Dairy Judging Tour. All contributions are tax-deductible.